Ice-loader



J. A. KODNTZ.

ICE LOADER.

(Application filed July 8, 1897.)

Patented Aug. 9, I898.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

w 4 n 6 666 65565 M 66mm 6 M Patented Aug. 9, I898. J. A. KOONTZ.

ICE LOADER.

(Application filed July 8, 1897.)

(No Model.)

2 Sh'eets-Sheet 2.

llnTTnn @TATES PATENT Trice.

JOHN A. KOONTZ, OF CE-NTREVILLE, IOYVA.

lCE-LOADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,686, dated August 9, 1898.

Application filed July 8, 1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. KOONTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centreville, in the county of Appanoose and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Ice- Loader, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines to be used in harvesting and loading ice upon vehicles; and the object that I have in View is to provide a simple and compact machine which may be easily and quickly operated to elevate ice-blocks and load them upon a vehicle, whereby labor and time are economized in the operation of harvesting and loading ice.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the combination, with an upright supporting-frame, of a swinging carrier provided with an inclined spoon and with longitudinal slide-irons by which the ice may be moved from the spoon along the carrier to be loaded upon a vehicle and means for adjusting the carrier and for sustaining the same in either its lowered or raised position; and the invention further consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts and in the combinations of devices which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of an ice loader constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view, partly insection, the plane of the section being indicated on the dotted line l 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is another fragmentary detail view showing the manner of hinging the carrier to the supportingframe.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings, referring to which- 1 designates the supporting-frame of my ice-loader, and 2 is the hinged carrier there of. This supporting-frame 1 consists ofa pair of uprights or posts 3 3, inclined bars 4 4,

Serial No. 643,875. (No model.)

horizontal bars 5 5, and a number of crossbars which unite the pairs of vertical, horizontal, land diagonal bars constituting the members of said supporting frame. The lower ends of the diagonal members 4 of the frame 1 are united to the vertical posts 3 near the lower ends of the latter by fitting said diagonal bars in recesses in the vertical posts and bolting the parts together. The posts and horizontal bars are bolted together at their juncture, and the outer ends of said horizontal bars and the upper ends of the diagonal bars are also bolted together. To the lower portion of the diagonal bars 4, near the points where the latter are united to the posts, is bolted a cross-bar 6. A similar cross-bar 7 is bolted to the frame at the points where the vertical and horizontal bars are united together, and another crossbar 8 is bolted to the frame at the places where the horizontal and diagonal bars are joined. To the diagonal bars are fastened the brace-blocks 9, which are arranged below the cross-bar 8 and which serve to strengthen the frame at the places where the greatest strain is exerted thereto, as well as affording a convenient means for the attachment of the draft-cables.

The cross-bar 6 serves as a means for supporting guide rollers or sheaves 10, around which pass the draft-cables, and to properly sustain these guide-rollers and to prevent displacement of the cables I provide a guide bar or strip 12, which is arranged in parallel relation to the cross-bar (Sand which is secured at its middle to said cross-bar to leave openings or spaces between the cross-bar and the guide-bar, in which openings or spaces are arranged the guide-rollers. The guide-bar is spaced laterally with respect to the cross-bar 6 by an interposed spacing-block 11, situated at the middle of said bars 6 12, and through the guide-bar, the block, and the cross-bar 6 pass suitable securing-bolts. The rollers or sheaves 10 are journaled on suitable bolts or pins 10, which pass through the guide-bar 12 and the cross-bar, and said bolts thus serve thereof.

Other guide-rollers 13 are provided on the they are arranged near the upper ends of said diagonal bars, where the latter join with the horizontal bars 5. These guide-rollers 13 are arranged in recesses formed in supportingto connect the two bars and to brace the ends diagonal bars 4 of the supporting-frame, and

blocks 14, which are applied to the inner faces of the diagonal bars 4 just below the braceblocks 9, and said supporting-blocks 14: are bolted rigidly to the diagonal bars 4. The rollers 13 are loosely fitted on suitable bolts or pins 14, supported in the blocks 1st and the diagonal bars 4.

The carrier 2 is a frame of simple substantial construction, and at its outer end it is provided with a metallic spoon which is adapted to be lowered into the water, so as to receive the block of ice upon it, whereby the spoon and the carrier may be adjusted to raise the ice and discharge it upon a suitable vehicle. The carrier 2 consists of longitudinal bars 15 and a series of cross-bars 16, which are arranged beneath the bars 15 and are bolted at their ends thereto. Arranged upon the bars 15 parallel to the sides of the carrier is a series of slide-irons 17, which are spaced apart at suitable intervals from each other, and these slide-irons are bolted or otherwise fastened rigidly to the bars 15 of the carrier. The slide-irons 17 extend longitudinally of the carrier, and they join with the metallic spoon and extend clear to the rear hinged end of the carrier, so as to conduct a block of ice from the spoon along the length of the carrier and discharge the same from the rearend of the carrier upon a suitable vehicle, which may be drawn up adjacent to the uprights or posts of the frame 1. The carrier is pivotally connected to the supporting-frame in a peculiar way to provide a substantial joint between the carrier and supporting-frame, and this hinged connection is raised a suitable distance above the lower end of the frame 1 to adapt the carrier to discharge its contents directly into or upon a vehicle.

A horizontal shaft 19 forms the hinge connection between the carrier and the frame. This shaft is a continuous piece of metal with its ends bent at right angles to the major length of the rounded portion of the shaft 19, said angular ends of the shaft being flattened and indicated at 20. These flattened angular ends 20 of the shaft form attaching-arms, and the shaft is adjusted to cause its angular arms to lie diagonally across the uprights 1, to which uprights the arms 20 are securely bolted, so as to hold the shaft 19 in fixed relation tothe frame 1. The rear end of the carrier 2 rests upon this shaft 19, and the carrier is connected thereto by staple-bolts or eyebolts 21, which thus form the hinged connection. The carrier is not as wide as the shaft is long, and the carrier is held against lateral or sidewise movement on its hinge-shaft by the diagonal braces 22, the ends of which are attached to the shaft-rod and its angular arms 20 by rivets or bolts.

The metallic spoon 25 is arranged at an angle to the length of the carrier, and it is made of tapering form, so as to spread laterally from the sides of the carrier, thus making the spoon better adapted to receive the block of ice which it is desired to raise and load upon the vehicle. The spoon is an openwork metallic structure of light but strong and durable construction, and it consists, preferably, of a series of longitudinal bars 26, a series of cross-bars 27, brace-rods 2S, and a series of slide-irons 20, the whole united together substantially to present a strong construction. The longitudinal bars 26 and cross-bars 27 are arranged to present their edges vertically, and the ends of the cross bars are bent or flanged to provide convenient means for the attachment of the bars together and for the passage of the bolts which unite the parts. The inner ends of the longitndinal bars 26 are bent at an angle to enable them to be presented laterally to the under side of the carrier-bars and to be bolted solidly thereto. The metallic spoon is braced at its sides by means of the rods or bars 28, which have their inner ends fastened to the sides of the carrier 2, while their outer ends are attached to the sides of the spoon at points intermediate of the length thereof, whereby the spoon is held rigidly on the carrier and the joint between the spoon and carrier is materially strengthened. The slideirons 29 of the spoon extend from the outer extremity thereof to the carrier 2, and said slide-irons 29 join with the slide-irons 17 of the carrier, whereby the two sets of slideirons 17 29 of the carrier and spoon form a continuous track or way for the passage of the ice along the elevating device of the loader.

To the sides of the metallic angularly-arranged spoon 25 are securely bolted the lower ends of the hangers 30, which carry the guideeyes 31, that support the outer pair of sheaves or rollers 32. Each hanger is provided with the solid guide-eye 31, which is thus held in rigid relation to the hanger. The rollers or sheaves 32 are loosely journaled in the rigid or solid eyes 31.

The carrier and spoon are adapted to be raised by the draft-cables 35, which pass through the several sheaves or rollers of the machine. These cables are arranged at opposite sides of the frame and the carrier and each cable is rigged in the following manner: One end of the cable is securely fastened to the brace-block 9, then led to and around a sheave or roller 32 at the side of the spoon 25, then led up to and around one of the rollers 13 on the diagonal bar 4 of the frame, and then finally led to and beneath one of the IIO sheaves or rollers 10 at the lower part of the frame 1. The ends of the draft-cables may be led from either side of the machine and be attached to a single pull-rope equipped with a whililetree (not shown) by which a horse may be hitched to the cables to raise the carrier and its load.

The operation of my ice-loader may be described briefly as follows: The carrier is lowered 011 its hinged connection with the frame 1 until it assumes a downwardly-inclined po sition to allow the metallic spoon 25 to be immersed in the water a proper depth to enable a block of ice to be loaded easily thereon. The cables 35 are now hauled upon by a horse to pull them through the rollers or sheaves and raise the carrier and its spoon to an inclined position above the pivotal connection with the frame 1, and the block of ice can now easilybe moved along the carrier to be deposited upon a suitable vehicle.

My improved loader enables ice blocks to be easily and quickly raised from a stream and deposited upon a vehicle. It dispenses with the labor of a number of men and effects economy in the time required to load the ice. The apparatus may be easily set up in position on the ice by making shallow holes therein to receive the lower ends of the posts 1. The frame is braced in position by means of the stays 36, which are connected to eyebolts 37, attached to the posts 3. These stays have their outer ends connected to stakes 38, which maybe thrust through holes in the ice and be arranged in a horizontal position below the ice to bear against the same. The stays are made in sections united together by eyebolts to permit the stays to be folded together compactly against the frame 1 when the apparatus is to be moved.

I am aware that changes in the form and prbportion of parts and in the details of construction of the mechanism herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my invention may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificin g the advantages of my invention. I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

i 1. In an ice-loader, a supporting-frame having its side posts and inclined bars united rigidly together, a pair of spaced cross-bars united to the inclined bars near the points where the latter are united to said posts, and guide-rollers journaled between said spaced bars, combined with a carrier hinged to the frame above said bars and rollers, another pair of rollers, 14, journaled 011 the diagonal bars, a spoon attached tothe carrier and provided with guide-rollers, and haulage-cables attached to the inclined bars and arranged through said rollers to raise or lower the carrier and spoon, as and for the purposes described.

2. In an ice-loader, the combination of an upright overhanging frame, a swinging carrier and spoon continuous one with the other and said spoon arranged in angular relation to said carrier, means for pivotally supportingthe inner end of said carrier on the frame, guide devices on the -base and overhanging ends of said frame, and a haulage-cable attached to the spoon and passed through said guide devices, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

the upright frame and guided on the spoon and said frame to raise or lower the carrier and its spoon, substantially as described.

4. In an ice-loader, the combination with an upright frame, of a carrier hinged at its delivery end to said frame, an angularspoon carried atthe. free end of the carrier to be substantially continuous therewith and having fan unobstructed outer end, slide-rails which extend continuously of the carrier and the spoon and furnishing continuous supports for the travel of ice when the carrier and spoon are raised to assume inclined positions downwardly toward the frame, and means for ad justing the spoon and carrier, substantially as described. V

5. In an ice-loader, the combination with an open upright frame, of a carrier hinged at its delivery end to said frame to discharge through the same, an angular spoon rigid and continuous with the free end of the carrier and movable therewith in its vertical adjustments, slide-rails extending continuously of the carrier and spoon and furnishing supports for the travel of ice along the spoon and carrier when they are inclined toward the hinged delivery end of said carrier, guide devices supported on the upright frame, and a haulage-cable attached to said spoon and passing through said guide devices, substantially as described. i

6. In an ice-loader, the combination with a supporting-frame, and a hinged carrier, of a flared metallic spoon comprising diverging longitudinal bars united rigidly to the carrier, braces fastened to the carrier and to the spoon and serving to strengthen the rigid joint between the spoon and carrier, and ad justing means attached to the spoon and said a frame, substantially as described.

7. In an ice-loader, the combination with an upright overhanging frame, of a carrier pivoted at its delivery end to said frame, an angular spoon rigid with the other end of said carrier, continuous slide-rails on the carrier and its angular spoon, guide-rollers mounted in the spoon, the overhanging end of said frame, and in the lower part of the frame the low the carrier, and haulage-cables attached to said frame and passed around the guide rollers, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. KOONTZ.

Witnesses:

J. T. Gu'rELIUs, ED. E. ARMOR. 

